Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-12-13
HARPER HOUSED,
The Fidelity Bank MAN is Given TIE,
Year in the Pepftantiary.

4G6T0 IA tu6
Cincinnati, Dec. l2-Judge Sage
opened court and the jury fled in. The
judge directed the. clerk to receive the
verdict in the Harper case.
In two minutes Marshal Urner entered
followed by MI. Harper, looking pale
and concerned. Behind him came his
wife, her face o study. It looked as il
she Was upborne by q faith that some
way she was to hear good news from
that jury. Mics Matthews, her sister.
followed. as calm as she could compose
herself to be. When they were seated
the clerk took the sealed envelope in
closing the sentence, tore it open and
read tho fatal words:
I'VE. tho jury. lind the defendant
guilty aa charged In the Indictment"
This meant guilty on ell the s3 counts
left for tho jury to lct upon. Mrs.
Harper raj 10 transffxed, but Miss
Matthews found relief in the tears which
she struggled with I'll her power to re-
press.
Mr. Blackburn gmoved an arrest Of
judgment, which the court instantly
overruled. Then District Attorney
Burnett moved for Immediate sentenoe,
and that the sentence be- cumulative.
Judge Sage. in . somewhat lengthy
opinion stated the result OF his inysati-
gationon the question Of cumulative
sentences In q case like this and this
gave'sonae relief to the suddenness OF
the blow upon Mr.. Harper'a family. He
fnslly ovsr-ruled the motion and asked
it The defendant had anything TO say be-
fore sentence was pronounced upon
him.
Mr.. Blackburn arose and said that the
defendant wished to speak through him ,
and to say that he had nothing to add TO
what had been said, except to thank the
court for its fair and impartial treatment.
and TO ask that the court be as merciful
az the circumstances and the Law would
permit.
Al 1925 che court directed Harper 10
stand up. II was a most distressing
scene. The strong man stood erect
with tears coursing down his cheeks,
but no other sign Of emotion, save his
blanched face. Behind his chair with
DO we'd head sat his wife in an agony that
had mo- better manifestation than the
wringlnR Of her hands. Tears did not
soHss y hasE Tsiiiett Miss H..shsw =, fsr
more demonstrasive. still depressed
sobs, and in her own distress reached
over to try to comfort her sister
by : touch. So they sat, while the
court with impressive solemnity recited
the usnalform of sentence, saying the
evidence left no doubt of the defendants
guilt, and that the offenss merised the
highest penalty OK the Law, which the
court would now impose, 10 years in the
Ohio penitentiary, and that the marshal
convey him thither ct once.
Sill no outory. Mr.. Harper sat down,
Turning to his wife, their lips met; her
hands were around his neck, hia arms
encompaaSed her. The silence in the
conrt oom Was awful. Jurors wept,
women and men all over the court room
were in tears.
Tho silence was broken by MIR. Black
burn making o Last request from the
court. That was that thu order for inn
prisonment be suspended. and gave .as o
that there was much business to
be attended 70 BY Mr.. Harper in which
his wife vas sioseiy concerned, and it
would be exceedingly difficult to do it
unless MI. Harper could remain here for
8 few days.
But the court was relentless. Judge
Sage said there could be opportunity
for his wife to see him in Columbus,
and he repeated the order to the marshal
to convey him thither to-day.
tHfd-No ssNEN GEsEA E